Vehicle air-conditioning system

ABSTRACT

An vehicle air-conditioning system ( 1 ) according to the present invention has an evaporator ( 4 ) for receiving an air being discharged into a casing ( 2 ) of the system by a blower and changing it to a cold air flow, the cold air flow being allowed to flow rearward, and a heater ( 6 ) located downstream of the evaporator ( 4 ) for selectively receiving at least a portion of the cold air flow and heating it to a warm air flow. The air conditioning system ( 1 ) also has partition means ( 8 ) disposed downstream of the heater ( 6 ) for directing the warm air flow upwardly in such a manner as to permit mixing of the warm air flow through the heater ( 6 ) and the remaining cold air flow bypassing the heater ( 6 ) thereabove, the partition means ( 8 ) including a top end portion ( 10 ), and guide means ( 11 ) for downwardly directing the cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs which has flowed beyond the top end portion ( 11 ) of said partition means ( 8 ) for blowing-out. The top end portion ( 10 ) of said partition means ( 8 ) defines a surface ( 30 ) of a streamlined or curved configuration along which said cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs can flow.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an air-conditioning system for a vehicle, and more particularly to such a vehicle air-conditioning system of the type including an evaporator and a heater arranged serially in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In recent years, there has been used a vehicle air-conditioning system which incorporates a cooler unit including an evaporator and a heater unit including a heater as a unitary arrangement wherein the cooler and heater units are arranged serially lengthwise of the vehicle in order to provide an improved space availability in the foot area of the passenger within the vehicle, more particularly, increasing a foot-receiving space, and also reduce the manufacturing cost. An example of such a vehicle air-conditioning system is disclosed by Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 250345/1998.

[0003]FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the vehicle air-conditioning system as illustrated and described in the application. The air-conditioning system 50 comprises an evaporator 52 for receiving therein an air flow being discharged through a front portion of the vehicle into a casing of the system by a blower and changing it to a cooled or cold air through a heat exchanging process that then can flow rearward thereof and a heater 54 located rearward or downstream of the evaporator 52 for receiving at least a portion of the cold air flow and heating it to a warm air that then can flow rearward thereof. The air-conditioning system also comprises a partition plate 56 disposed rearward or downstream of the heater 54 and adapted to direct the warm air flow through the heater 54 upwardly in a manner to permit mixing of the warm air flow and the cold air flow being discharged from the evaporator 54 and bypassing the heater 54 thereabove. The air-conditioning system further comprises a guide wall 60 located adjacent to the partition member 56 for downwardly directing the cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs which has passed over a top end 58 defined by the partition plate 56, for blowing-out. The top end 58 of the partition plate 56 may be in the form of a thin plate which is turned or bent forwardly. The air-conditioning system 50 also has three outlets, i.e., a defrost outlet 62, vent outlet 64 and floor outlet 66 as well as five dampers, i.e., a cold air damper 68, a warm air damper 70, a defrost damper 72, a vent damper 74 and floor damper 76. When it is desired to operate the air-conditioning system in a so-called “bi-level” mode wherein conditioned air is discharged through the vent outlet 64 and warm air is discharged through the floor outlet 66, the defrost damper 72 is close, the cold air, warm air and vent dampers 68, 70, 72 are half opened and the floor damper 76 is opened. The degree of opening of the cold air and warm air dampers 68, 70 can control a ratio of the cold and warm airs to be mixed together to thereby adjust the temperature of the mixed air to be discharged. A portion of the cold air passing through the evaporator 52 can flow through the opened cold air damper 68 and then bypass the heater 54 thereabove while the remaining of the cold air can flow through the opened warm air damper 70 into the heater 54 where it is heated and becomes a warm air flow. The warm air flow being discharged rearward from the heater 54 is directed upward while impinging upon the partition plate 56 and then redirected forwardly by the forwardly bent top end 58 of the partition plate 56. As a result, most of the forward warm air flow can meet the rearward cold air flow bypassing the heater 54 thereabove, resulting in mixing of the warm air and cold air flows to provide a conditioned air flow which then is discharged through the vent outlet 64. On the other hand, the remaining of the warm air is turned through 180 degrees downwardly in the region of the top end 58 of the partition plate 56 by the vent damper 77 and the guide wall 60 and then discharged through the floor outlet 66. The air-conditioning system of the above-mentioned type may produce considerable noise during operation thereof that can impair the operator's comfort in operating the vehicle. The inventors has found that the warm air flow through the heater 54 may be separated from the top end portion 58 of the partition plate 56 as the warm air moves upward along the partition plate 56 and flow beyond the top end portion 58, thus resulting in creation of an eddy in the region of the top end portion 58 of the partition plate 56 that may lead to the considerable noise during operation of the system. Moreover, such a separation of the air flow can lead to creation of pressure loss in the flow and reduction of air flow rate.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle air-conditioning system which is arranged to reduce the noise due to the separation of flow encountered in the conventional air-conditioning system.

[0005] Another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle air-conditioning system which is arranged to avoid the reduction of the air flow rate to attain more efficient operation of the vehicle air-conditioning system.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] To this end, the present invention provides an air-conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising: an evaporator for receiving an air being discharged into a casing of the system by a blower and changing it to a cold air flow, said cold air flow being allowed to be directed rearward; a heater located downstream of the evaporator for selectively receiving at least a portion of the cold air flow and heating it to a warm air flow; partition means disposed downstream of the heater for directing said warm air flow upwardly in such a manner as to permit mixing of said warm air flow through the heater and the remaining cold air flow bypassing the heater, said partition means including a top end portion; guide means for downwardly directing the cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs which has flowed beyond the top end portion of said partition means for blowing-out; said top end portion of said partition means defining a surface of a streamlined or curved configuration along which the cold air, the warm air or the mixture of mixed cold and warm airs can flow.

[0007] In the vehicle air-conditioning system as constructed above, the air being discharged into the casing of the system by the blower is changed into a cold air by the evaporator. A portion of the cold air can flow beyond the heater thereabove whereas the remaining cold air is heated into a warm air by the heater and then flow backward. It is possible to selectively direct the cold air flow, the warm air flow, or the mixed flow of cold and warm airs according to modes of operation. The warm air flowing through the heater is diverted upwardly by the partition means and meets the cold air bypassing the heater thereabove so as to permit mixing the warm air and cold air to create a conditioned air. The cold air, warm air or conditioned air can flow beyond the top end portion of the partition means thereabove and then redirected downward of the partition means by the guide means for blowing-out. In this case, the cold air flow is directed to impinge angularly upon the top end potion of the partition means. The warm air flows beyond the top end portion of the partition means in such a manner as to be turned through 180 degrees therearound. Any of the cold air, warm air and conditioned air can flow along the streamlined or curved surface of the partition means so that it does not separate from the top end portion of the partition means, thereby avoiding the creation of any eddy. As a result, the reduction of the noise in the vehicle air-conditioning system can be attained. Also, it can be understood that no separation of flow can reduce or substantially eliminate the pressure loss in the flow which would otherwise take place, which can contribute to suppression of the reduction of the air flow rate, which in turn can lead to more efficient operation of the vehicle air-conditioning system.

[0008] In the vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention, the top end portion of the partition means preferably can have a radius of curvature ranging between about 5 and 25 mm.

[0009] Also, in the vehicle air-conditioning system according to the present invention, the streamlined or curved configuration of the top end portion surface preferably comprises substantially an airfoil configuration.

[0010] Also, in the vehicle air-conditioning system according to the present invention, the top end portion of the partition means preferably is bent forwardly.

[0011] With the arrangement of the present invention, the warm air flow is directed upwardly by the partition means and then forwardly by the forwardly bent top end portion of the partition means. Thus, it is possible to make greater an angle at which the warm air flow can meet the cold air flow bypassing the heater thereabove, thereby attaining more efficient and effective mixing of the warm air and cold air flows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of a vehicle air-conditioning system according to the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating a relationship between the radius of curvature of a guide plate and a pressure loss coefficient.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a conventional vehicle air-conditioning system.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0015] A vehicle air-conditioning system or unit according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle air-conditioning system 1 which is one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle air-conditioning system 1 comprises a case 2 in which are mounted an evaporator 4 for cooling air from the front thereof and directing the cooled or cold air in the backward direction, a heater 6 disposed rearward or downstream of the evaporator 4 for heating the air from the front thereof and directing the heated or warm air in the backward direction, a partition plate 8 disposed rearward of the heater 6 and a guide wall 11 for downward directing the cold air, warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs which has flowed backward beyond the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8. The vehicle air-conditioning system 1 also comprises three outlets (i.e., a defrost outlet 12, a vent outlet 14 and a floor outlet 16) and three dampers (i.e., an air mixing damper 18, a vent damper 20 and a floor damper 22), all of which will be described later.

[0017] A void space or plenum 24 is formed within the case 2 in the front of the evaporator 4. This space 24 is adapted to receive fresh air from the outside or and air fed by a blower (not shown).

[0018] The heater 6 is adapted to take in and heat a cold air from the evaporator 4 at the front thereof and to direct the heated or warm air in the backward direction. The ratio of the cold air to be taken in is determined by the position of the air mixing damper 18 disposed between the evaporator 4 and the heater 6, the position of which will be described later.

[0019] The partition plate 8 has a front face 26 opposed to the back of the heater 6, a top end portion 10 and a rear face 28.

[0020] The front face 26 of the partition plate 8 is adapted to direct the warm air from the heater 6 in the upward direction such that the warm air from the heater 6 can be mixed with the cold air bypassed the heater 6 thereabove. The top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 has a thickness sufficient to provide a surface 30 smoothly connecting between the front and rear faces 26, 28. This surface 30 is of a streamlined or curved configuration along which the air can smoothly flow. In this embodiment, this surface 30 is configured to a shape similar to an airfoil. It is preferable that the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 has a radius of curvature R ranging between about 5 and 25 mm. Moreover, the top end portion 10 is further bent forwardly toward the vent outlet 14 positioned thereabove.

[0021] The guide wall 11 is spaced apart from the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 and disposed to extend downward along the top end portion 10 substantially parallel to the rear face 28 of the partition plate 8. As shown, a duct 32 is defined to communicate with the floor outlet 16 between the rear face 28 of the partition plate 8 and the guide wall 11. This duct 32 also communicates with another duct 33 which is formed to extend upward through below the heater 6 in the front of the evaporator 4 and space 24. This duct 33 communicates with the defrost outlet 22. The air mixing damper 18 is disposed between the evaporator 4 and heater 6 and moveable between an upper position 34 as shown by solid line and a lower position 36 as shown in two-dot-chain line. It is to be noted that the air mixing damper 18 may be positioned at any intermediate position 38 between the upper and lower positions 34, 36. When the air mixing damper 18 is in its upper position 34, all the cold air from the evaporator 4 is conducted into the heater 6, thereby discharging only the warm air heated by the heater 6 from the vehicle air-conditioning system 1. When the air mixing damper 18 is in its lower position 36, all the cold air from the evaporator 4 flows above the heater 6, thereby discharging only the cold air from the vehicle air-conditioning system 1. When the air mixing damper 18 is in its intermediate position 38, the cold air bypassed above the heater 6 is mixed with the warm air from the heater 6, thereby discharging the mixture of the cold and warm airs from the vehicle air-conditioning system 1. By changing the intermediate position 38 taken by the air mixing damper 18, the ratio of cold and warm airs to be mixed together can be changed to adjust the temperature in the mixed air.

[0022] The vent damper 20 is disposed adjacent to the vent outlet 14 and moveable between an upper position 40 as shown by solid line and a lower position 42 as shown in two-dot-chain line. It is also to be noted that the vent damper 20 may be positioned at, any intermediate position 44 between the upper and lower positions 40, 42. When the vent damper 20 is in its upper position 40, all the cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs will flow into the duct 32. When the vent damper 20 is in its lower position 42, all the cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs will be discharged through the vent outlet 14. When the vent damper 20 is in its intermediate position, the cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs will flow into both the duct 32 and vent outlet 14.

[0023] The floor damper 22 is disposed adjacent to the floor outlet 16 and moveable between an upper position 46 as shown by solid line and a lower position 48 as shown in two-dot-chain line. When the floor damper 22 is in its upper position 46, all the air passed through the duct 32 will be discharged through the floor outlet 16. When the floor damper 22 is in its lower position 48, all the air passed through the duct 32 will be discharged from the defrost outlet 12 through the duct 33.

[0024] The operation of the vehicle air-conditioning system 1 according to this embodiment of the present invention will now be described in connection with three modes.

[0025] Firs of all, the discharge of the warm air through the floor outlet 16 in the first warm-air mode will be described. The air mixing damper 18 is positioned in its upper position 34 while the vent damper 20 is positioned in its upper position 40. Thus, the vent outlet 14 is closed. All the cold air flowing backward from the evaporator 4 through the air mixing damper 18 is conducted into the heater 6 at which the cold air is heated to form a warm air. The warm air moves in the upward direction until it impinges upon the partition plate 8 whereat it is further directed in the upward direction. The warm air flow is then conducted into the duct 32 by means of the vent damper 20, guide wall 11 and so on. When the warm air flows beyond the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 and before it turns through about 180 degrees, the warm air flows upward along the front face 26 of the partition plate 8 and then along the front and rear faces 26, 28 of the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8. Since the top end portion surface 30 of the partition plate 8 is of stream-line or curved configuration along which the warm air can smoothly flow along the surface 30, the warm air will not separate from the surface 30 of the top partition plate end 10 when it flows beyond the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 10. The warm air is then discharged through the floor outlet 16.

[0026] Next, the discharge of the cold air through the defrost outlet 12 in the second cold-air mode will be described. The air mixing damper 18 is placed in its lower position 36; the vent damper 20 is positioned in its upper position 40; and the floor damper 22 is located in its lower position 48. All the cold air from the evaporator 4 flows beyond above the heater 6 in the presence of the air mixing damper 18. The cold air then flows beyond the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 and conducted into the duct 32 through the vent damper 20, guide wall 11 and so on. When the cold air flows beyond the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8, it moves angularly or obliquely into impingement with the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8. However, the cold air will not separate from the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 since the surface 30 of the top end portion 10 is of a streamlined or curved configuration along which the cold air smoothly flows. Subsequently, the cold air is discharged from the defrost outlet 12 through the ducts 32, 33.

[0027] Finally, the third temperature-regulating mode in which the conditioned air is discharged from the vent outlet 14 and the warm air is discharged from the floor outlet 16 will be described. The air mixing damper 18 is positioned in an intermediate position 38 while the vent damper 20 is positioned in an intermediate position 44. A portion of the cold air flowing backward from the evaporator 4 through the air mixing damper 18 flows beyond above the heater 6 while the remaining cold air is conducted into the heater 6 at which the cold air is heated, with the heated or warm air then flowing backward of the heater 6. The warm air moves in the upward direction until it impinges upon the partition plate 8 whereupon it is directed in the upward direction. Since the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 is bent forwardly, the warm air is further directed in the forward direction. As a result, the warm air impinges upon the cold air bypassed the heater 6 substantially at right angle. Thus, the cold and warm airs are effectively mixed together to form a temperature-regulated air. Since the vent damper 20 is in its intermediate position 44, about half of the temperature-regulated air is discharged from the vent outlet 14. The remaining part of the temperature-regulated air is directed beyond the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 in the backward and downward direction through guidance of the vent damper 20 and guide wall 11. Since the surface 30 of the top partition plate end 10 is of a streamlined or curved configuration along which the cold air smoothly flows and when the temperature-regulated air flows beyond the top partition plate end 10, the flow of the temperature-regulated air will not separate from the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8, as in the first warm-air mode and second cold-air mode. Subsequently, the flow of the temperature-regulated air is discharged from floor outlet 16.

[0028] In any of the three modes described above, the flow of the warm air, cold air or temperature-regulated air will not separate from the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 due to its streamlined or curved configuration. Thus, the creation of eddy at the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 can be suppressed to reduce the noise. Moreover, the pressure loss in the flow can be reduced by preventing the separation of flow. Thus, the reduction of the air flow rate can be suppressed to operate the vehicle air-conditioning system 1 more effectively. In particular, this is advantageous in the warm-air mode in which the flow is turned about 180 degrees.

[0029]FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating the relationship between the radius of curvature R and the pressure loss coefficient ξ at the top end portion 10 of the partition plate 8 in a vehicle air-conditioning system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The radius of curvature R is made dimensionless with the distance Gap between the partition plate 8 and the guide wall 11 in the vehicle air-conditioning system 1 (see FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the distance Gap is about 40 mm. The pressure loss coefficient ξ is a value made dimensionless relating to the loss between points A and B in FIG. 1. When the dimensionless radius of curvature R/Gap is at zero, that is, when the top end portion 58 of a partition plate 56 is not of a streamlined or curved configuration as in a vehicle air-conditioning system 50 according to the conventional system, the pressure loss coefficient ξ is 4, as shown in FIG. 2. On the other hand, when the dimensionless radius of curvature R/Gap is between about 0.12 and 0.63, that is, the radius of curvature R is between about 5 and 25 mm, the pressure loss coefficient ξ is 3 or less. Therefore, the vehicle air-conditioning system can make the pressure loss coefficient ξ lower than the conventional vehicle air-conditioning system 50 and cause the vehicle air-conditioning system 1 to operate more effectively.

[0030] Although the vehicle air-conditioning system according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described, it is to be noted that the scope of the invention is defined only by the appending claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An air-conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising: an evaporator for receiving an air being discharged into a casing of the system by a blower and changing it to a cold air flow, said cold air flow being allowed to be directed rearward; a heater located downstream of the evaporator for selectively receiving at least a portion of the cold air flow and heating it to a warm air flow; partition means disposed downstream of the heater for directing said warm air flow upwardly in such a manner as to permit mixing of said warm air flow through the heater and the remaining cold air flow bypassing the heater, said partition means including a top end portion; and guide means for downwardly directing the cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs which has flowed beyond the top end portion of said partition means for blowing-out; wherein said top end portion of said partition means defining a surface of a streamlined or curved configuration along which said cold air, the warm air or the mixture of cold and warm airs can flow.
 2. The air-conditioning system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said streamlined or curved configuration of said surface defined by said top end portion of said partition means is such that as only the cold air flow through the evaporator is directed angularly onto the top end portion of said partition means by an air-mixing damper located between said evaporator and said heater, said cold air flow flows beyond said top end portion while following said surface thereof.
 3. The air-conditioning system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said streamlined or curved configuration of said surface defined by said top end portion of said partition means is such that said warm air flow through said heater is directed toward the top end portion of said partition means by an air-mixing damper located between said evaporator and said heater, said cold air flows beyond said top end portion while following said surface thereof so as to be turned through 180 degrees.
 4. The air-conditioning system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said top end portion of said partition means has a radius of curvature ranging between about 5 and 25 mm.
 5. The air-conditioning system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein said streamlined or curved configuration of said top end portion surface comprises substantially an airfoil configuration.
 6. The air-conditioning system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein said top end portion of said partition means is bent forwardly. 